David Hamilton (politician)
Encyclopedia
David Hamilton is a British
Labour Party
politician who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Midlothian
since 2001
.
David Hamilton was born in Dalkeith
, Midlothian
, and was educated at the local Dalkeith High School. In 1965, on leaving school, he worked as a miner
with the National Coal Board
for nineteen years, and remained a member of the National Union of Mineworkers until 1988. He was jailed
for two months during the 1980s miners' strike. This was for the alleged assault on a Dalkeith man and, although bail was denied many times, he was acquitted at trial. Hamilton later claimed he had been "fitted up" by the police and security services. He worked as an employment training supervisor with Midlothian District Council for two years from 1987, and was appointed as a placement officer for the Craigmillar Festival Society
in 1989, becoming the chief executive of Craigmillar
Opportunities 1992-2000.
He was elected as a Midlothian Councillor in 1995, serving for six years. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 2001 general election
for Midlothian following the retirement of Eric Clarke. Hamilton held the seat with a majority of 9,014 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech
on 12 July 2001, in which he remembered one of his predecessors as the Midlothian MP and former Prime Minister
, William Ewart Gladstone
.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo010712/debtext/10712-27.htm#10712-27_spnew1
He is a member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group
, and in 2003 became a member of both the Scottish affairs
and the work and pensions
select committees until the 2005 general election
, since when he has been a member of the defence
and European legislation
committees.
He has been married to Jean Trench Macrae since 1969 and they have two daughters. He takes a keen interest in biotechnology
.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
politician who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Midlothian
Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency)
Midlothian in Scotland, is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
since 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
.
David Hamilton was born in Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, and was educated at the local Dalkeith High School. In 1965, on leaving school, he worked as a miner
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
with the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
for nineteen years, and remained a member of the National Union of Mineworkers until 1988. He was jailed
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for two months during the 1980s miners' strike. This was for the alleged assault on a Dalkeith man and, although bail was denied many times, he was acquitted at trial. Hamilton later claimed he had been "fitted up" by the police and security services. He worked as an employment training supervisor with Midlothian District Council for two years from 1987, and was appointed as a placement officer for the Craigmillar Festival Society
Craigmillar Festival Society
The Craigmillar Festival Society was a Community Arts organisation that existed in the Craigmillar area of Edinburgh, Scotland from 1962 to 2002. It is regarded as important contributor to the Community Arts Movement...
in 1989, becoming the chief executive of Craigmillar
Craigmillar
Craigmillar , from the Gaelic Crag Maol Ard, meaning 'High Bare Rock', is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, about south east of the city centre, with Duddingston to the north and Newcraighall to the east.- History :...
Opportunities 1992-2000.
He was elected as a Midlothian Councillor in 1995, serving for six years. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
for Midlothian following the retirement of Eric Clarke. Hamilton held the seat with a majority of 9,014 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 12 July 2001, in which he remembered one of his predecessors as the Midlothian MP and former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo010712/debtext/10712-27.htm#10712-27_spnew1
He is a member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group
Socialist Campaign Group
The Socialist Campaign Group is a left-wing democratic socialist grouping of Labour Party Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It was formed in December 1982 as an alternative Parliamentary left-wing group to the Tribune Group...
, and in 2003 became a member of both the Scottish affairs
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
and the work and pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
select committees until the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, since when he has been a member of the defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and European legislation
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
committees.
He has been married to Jean Trench Macrae since 1969 and they have two daughters. He takes a keen interest in biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
.
External links
- David Hamilton MP official site
- ePolitix - David Hamilton MP
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: David Hamilton MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - David Hamilton MP
- The Public Whip - David Hamilton MP voting record
- BBC News - David Hamilton profile 10 February, 2005